Calendar of Treasury Books
Introduction: Calendar of Treasury Books
The Calendar of Treasury Books is a multi-volume series published by the Public Record Office (later The National Archives) that calendars the official records of the English (and after 1707 British) Treasury from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 through the early eighteenth century. The volumes available on British History Online cover the period 1660–1718 across 32 volumes, with a related continuation in the Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers.
These records include warrants, money orders, salary establishments, petitions, secret-service payments, and civil-list accounts. Because the Treasury controlled government expenditure, the calendars capture a wide range of people who received official salaries, pensions, bounties, passage money, or who appear in administrative or legal contexts involving Crown revenue.
For Guthrie family research the series is particularly useful. It has yielded:
- Scottish legal and ceremonial officers (James Guthrie as Pursuivant and Macer of Justiciary),
- naval and colonial chaplains (Patrick Guthry; William Guthrie bound for Jamaica),
- customs and salt-duty officers (James Guthrie, watchman at Kirkcaldy),
- widows receiving royal bounty (Mary Guthery of the Londonderry garrison; Ann/Anne Guthry),
- a landed family in Kincardineshire (David Guthrie of Castletown and his four daughters),
- and Jacobite prisoners transported to South Carolina after the 1715 Rising (Robert and John Guttry).
The combination of Scottish official, military, colonial, and ordinary administrative references makes the Calendar of Treasury Books a valuable complementary source for both Scottish and early colonial Guthrie research.
Citation:
Calendar of Treasury Books. Edited by William A. Shaw (and later F. H. Slingsby). 32 vols. London: His/Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1904–1962. British History Online. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/series/treasury-books-calendar.
Volume 1, 1660-1667: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 2, 1667-1668: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 3, 1669-1672: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 4, 1672-1675: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 5, 1676-1679: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 6, 1679-1680: 2 Guthrie Entries
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 6: 1679–1680 Entry Book: October 1679, 11–20
Date of the Entry 15 October 1679.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- John Guttry (also indexed as Guthry)
Guthrie Role Mate (on a coalwaiters’ boat at Newcastle). His salary is being reassigned.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- John Clark, boatman (joint salary holder)
- Robert Hedworth, Edward Clark, John Hunter (new tidesmen at Newcastle)
- Customs Commissioners / General Surveyors
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Treasury warrant to the Customs Commissioners directing that the £30 per annum salary previously allowed to John Clark (boatman) and John Guttry (mate) for a coalwaiters’ boat at Newcastle is to be applied instead to the salaries of three new tidesmen at Newcastle port.
Modern English Translation Same to same to lay aside one of the coalwaiters’ boats at Newcastle and to apply the salary of £30 per an. formerly allowed to John Clark, boatman, and John Guttry, mate, for the salary of Robert Hedworth, Edward Clark and John Hunter… who are hereby to be deputed as tidesman Newcastle port.
Historical or Genealogical Significance This is a minor administrative reference to a John Guttry/Guthry employed in the Customs service at Newcastle in 1679. He held the post of mate on a coalwaiters’ boat. The entry supplies an occupational detail and a northern English location but no further personal or family information. It is recorded for completeness of the BHO search results.
Document Terms and Practices
- Coalwaiters’ boat: a Customs boat used in the coal trade ports.
- Mate: the subordinate officer on the boat.
- Tidesman: a Customs officer who boarded ships with the tide to prevent smuggling and ensure duties were paid.
Citation ‘Entry Book: October 1679, 11–20’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 6, 1679–1680, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1913), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol6/pp218-223 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 6: 1679–1680 Entry Book: April 1680, 14–20
Date of the Entry 20 April 1680.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- Patr. Guthry (Patrick Guthry)
Guthrie Role Chaplain (listed among the ministers and chirurgeons of His Majesty’s frigates). Outstanding pay due to him.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Various other chaplains and surgeons of naval vessels whose pay was in arrears
Original Document Language English.
Purpose List of unpaid “pences” (pay) remaining due to ministers and chirurgeons of the King’s frigates. Patrick Guthry appears as chaplain of the Guernsey with £18 6s. 8d. owing.
Modern English Translation Appending: (1) a list of 4 pences and 2 pences remaining unpaid to the several ministers and chirurgeons of his Majesty’s frigates as follow:— … Patr. Guthry, chaplain, Guernsey £18 6 8
Historical or Genealogical Significance This entry records Patrick Guthry as a naval chaplain attached to the frigate Guernsey (or serving in that capacity) in 1680, with arrears of pay. It places a Guthrie in the Royal Navy’s ecclesiastical service in the later seventeenth century. No further personal details are given.
Document Terms and Practices
- Chaplain of a frigate: the ordained clergyman assigned to a naval vessel.
- Pences remaining unpaid: arrears of salary due to naval officers and specialists.
Citation ‘Entry Book: April 1680, 14–20’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 6, 1679–1680, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1913), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol6/pp493-502 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Volume 7, 1681-1685: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 8, 1685-1689: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 9, 1689-1692: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 10, 1693-1696: 2 Guthrie Entries
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 10: 1693–1696 Entry Book: May 1693, 21–31
Date of the Entry 30 May 1693.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- Mary Guthery, widow
Guthrie Role Widow of an officer connected with the Londonderry garrison; recipient of royal bounty.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Other officers and widows of Londonderry officers receiving similar bounty payments
- Henry Guy (writer of the letter)
- The Paymasters of the Forces in Ireland
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Warrant authorising payment of royal bounty to certain officers and widows of officers of Londonderry who had been omitted from the general list attached to the earlier royal warrant of 21 March 1692/3. Mary Guthery receives £10.
Modern English Translation Same to Mr. Clarke to procure a royal warrant… to authorise the Paymasters of the Forces in Ireland to pay as follows as royal bounty to officers, and widows of officers, of Londonderry who were not included in the general list… viz.: … to Mary Guthery, widow £10 0 0
Historical or Genealogical Significance Mary Guthery is identified as the widow of an officer associated with the defence of Londonderry during the famous siege of 1689.
The Siege of Londonderry (18 April – 1 August 1689) was the first major action of the Williamite War in Ireland. After the Glorious Revolution, the Catholic King James II attempted to recover his thrones using Ireland as a base. The Protestant walled city of Londonderry refused to admit his forces and endured a 105-day siege marked by severe starvation and disease. The city was finally relieved when a Williamite fleet broke the boom across the River Foyle.
In the years that followed, the government granted royal bounty payments to many of the officers (and widows of officers) who had served in the garrison. Some names were left off the original lists, and supplementary payments were authorised in the early 1690s. Mary Guthery’s £10 award in May 1693 places a Guthery widow among the military families connected with this pivotal event.
Document Terms and Practices
- Royal bounty: a discretionary payment from the Crown, often given to soldiers, officers, or their dependents.
- Londonderry officers: those who served during the siege of 1689.
Citation ‘Entry Book: May 1693, 21–31’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 10, 1693–1696, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1935), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol10/pp210-223 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 10: 1693–1696 Entry Book: June 1693, 1–10
Date of the Entry 9 June 1693.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- Mary Guthery, widow
Guthrie Role Widow of an officer of the Londonderry garrison; recipient of £10 royal bounty.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (ordered to make the payments)
- The full list of Londonderry officers and widows receiving bounty
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Royal warrant under the Queen’s sign manual directing the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to pay a total of £2,423 6s. 8d. as royal bounty to the officers and widows of officers who had served in the garrison of Londonderry during the siege. Mary Guthery is included for £10.
Modern English Translation Royal warrant… to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland to pay £2,423 6s. 8d. to the several officers and widows of officers as follows who were of the garrison of Londonderry at the time that city was besieged, as royal bounty… … Mary Guthery, widow £10 0 0
Historical or Genealogical Significance This is the formal authorisation of the payment already prepared in the May entry. It confirms that Mary Guthery, widow of a Londonderry garrison officer, was officially granted £10 royal bounty on 9 June 1693 for her late husband’s service during the 1689 siege.
Document Terms and Practices
- Royal warrant under the Queen’s sign manual: the formal instrument authorising the expenditure.
- Without account: the payment was to be made as a free gift, not requiring further accounting by the recipients.
Citation ‘Entry Book: June 1693, 1–10’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 10, 1693–1696, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1935), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol10/pp223-238 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Volume 11, 1696-1697: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 12, 1697: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 13, 1697-1698: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 14, 1698-1699: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 15, 1699-1700: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 16, 1700-1701: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 17, 1702: 2 Guthrie Entries
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 17: 1702 Secret Service Payments: Henry Guy
Date of the Entry 13 June (within the 1693 account summary, but published in the 1702 volume of secret-service payments).
Guthrie(s) Identified
- Ann Guthry (also spelled Gothry), widow
Guthrie Role Widow receiving a small royal bounty / secret-service payment.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Henry Guy (the account of secret-service payments)
- Other recipients of small allocations from the same fund
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Allocation of money received from loans on the Hereditary and Temporary Excise. Among the small payments distributed is £5 to Ann Guthry, widow.
Modern English Translation …followed by: a note of the allocation of this sum: viz.: … 5l. to Ann Guthry wid[ow].
Historical or Genealogical Significance Ann Guthry, described simply as a widow, received a £5 payment from secret-service / discretionary funds. No further details are given about her late husband or the reason for the bounty. It is a minor charitable or discretionary payment of the type frequently recorded in these accounts.
Document Terms and Practices
- Secret Service payments: discretionary funds controlled by senior Treasury officials (here Henry Guy) and used for a wide range of purposes, including small pensions and charitable gifts.
- Wid[ow]: standard abbreviation in these lists.
Citation ‘Secret Service Payments: Henry Guy’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 17, 1702, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1939), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol17/pp680-704 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 17: 1702 Secret Service Payments: Henry Guy
Date of the Entry 26 May 1693 (recorded in the 1702 volume of Henry Guy’s secret-service accounts).
Guthrie(s) Identified
- Anne Gothrey (Ann Guthry), widow
Guthrie Role Widow receiving a £5 royal bounty.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Mary Falkner, widow (similar payment on the same day)
- Henry Guy (account holder)
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Record of actual payment of royal bounty from the secret-service funds. Anne Gothrey, widow, received £5 clear of fees.
Modern English Translation 1693, May 26, paid Anne Gothrey widow, [as royal] bounty: clear [of fees] £5 0 0
Historical or Genealogical Significance This is the formal payment entry corresponding to the allocation noted on p. 695. On 26 May 1693 Anne Gothrey (Ann Guthry), described simply as a widow, received a £5 royal bounty from Henry Guy’s secret-service account. No further information is given about her circumstances or her late husband.
Document Terms and Practices
- Clear [of fees]: the recipient received the full sum without deduction of administrative fees.
- Royal bounty: discretionary charitable or pension payment from the Crown.
Citation ‘Secret Service Payments: Henry Guy’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 17, 1702, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1939), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol17/pp680-704 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Volume 18, 1703: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 19, 1704-1705: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 20, 1705-1706: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 21, 1706-1707: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 22, 1708: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 23, 1709: 2 Guthrie Entries
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 23: 1709 Warrant Books: July 1709, 16–20
Date of the Entry 20 July 1709 (certificate of salaries due to Midsummer 1709).
Guthrie(s) Identified
- James Guthrie (Pursuivant)
- James Guthrie (Macer of the Justice Court) (It is unclear from the record whether these are the same man or two different individuals.)
Guthrie Role Listed separately as:
- Pursuivant in Scotland
- Macer of the Justice Court
Each role carries its own designated salary.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Fellow Pursuivants: William Home, Robert Brown, Charles Erskine, John Erskine, etc.
- Fellow Macers of the Justice Court: Thomas Montgomerie, John Henderson
- Treasurer Godolphin / Barons of the Exchequer (Scotland)
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Detailed certificate of salaries and allowances due under the Civil Establishment for Scotland from the commencement of the respective posts until Midsummer 1709. James Guthrie appears in two separate capacity listings.
Modern English Translation Pursuivants: William Home, James Guthrie, Robert Brown, Charles Erskine, John Erskine… each £19 3s. 11¾d. for 1708 May 1 to 1709 June 24…
Macers of the Justice Court: James Guthrie, Thomas Montgomerie, John Henderson £11 10s. 1d. each for same time.
Historical or Genealogical Significance The record shows James Guthrie listed in two distinct official roles within the post-Union Scottish civil establishment in 1708–1709:
- as a Pursuivant (junior officer of arms), and
- as a Macer of the Justice Court.
The two posts are entered separately and each has its own calculated salary. It is not possible from this document alone to determine whether a single individual held both offices or whether two different men named James Guthrie were being paid. Either interpretation is plausible.
Document Terms and Practices
- Pursuivant: junior officer of arms in the Scottish heraldic establishment.
- Macer of the Justice Court: court officer responsible for maintaining order and performing ceremonial and administrative duties.
- Civil List of Scotland: the post-1707 establishment of salaries for Scottish civil officers.
Citation ‘Warrant Books: July 1709, 16–20’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 23, 1709, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1949), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol23/pp253-268 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 23: 1709 Warrant Books: December 1709, 11–20
Date of the Entry 20 December 1709.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- William Guthrie, clerk
Guthrie Role Chaplain going to Jamaica; granted £20 for the charges of his passage.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Treasurer Godolphin (authorising the payment)
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Money warrant authorising payment of £20 to William Guthrie, clerk, to cover the expenses of his voyage to Jamaica, where he was going to serve as chaplain.
Modern English Translation Money warrant for £20 to William Guthrie, clerk, for the charges of his passage to Jamaica, whither he is going chaplain.
Historical or Genealogical Significance This is a clear early-eighteenth-century colonial reference. William Guthrie, described as a clerk (i.e., a clergyman), was appointed chaplain for Jamaica and received a standard passage allowance of £20 from the Treasury in December 1709. It places a Guthrie in the stream of British clergy being sent to the Caribbean colonies at this period and is relevant to the colonial branch of Guthrie research.
Document Terms and Practices
- Clerk: in this context, an ordained clergyman.
- Passage money: a common Treasury payment made to officials, chaplains, and others sent overseas to cover the cost of their voyage.
- Chaplain for Jamaica: appointment to serve as a minister in the colony.
Citation ‘Warrant Books: December 1709, 11–20’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 23, 1709, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1949), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol23/pp452-461 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Volume 24, 1710: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 25, 1711: 1 Guthrie Entry
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 25: 1711 Warrant Book: January 1711, 1–10
Date of the Entry 5 January 1711 (payment of the Civil Establishment of Scotland for the quarter 29 September – 25 December 1710).
Guthrie(s) Identified
- James Guthrie (Pursuivant)
- James Guthrie (Macer of Justiciary) (Again listed separately; it remains unclear whether one or two individuals are involved.)
Guthrie Role Appears in two distinct salary lines:
- Scottish Pursuivant
- Macer of the Justiciary Court
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Fellow Pursuivants: William Home, Robert Broun, Charles Erskine, John Erskine, Alexander Martine
- Fellow Macers of Justiciary: John Masson, James Forrest
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Quarterly payment of the Civil Establishment for Scotland. James Guthrie is paid under both the Pursuivants and the Macers of Justiciary headings.
Modern English Translation Pursuivants: William Home £4 3s. 4d. James Guthrie £4 3s. 4d. …
Macers of Justiciary: James Guthrie £2 10s. 0d. John Masson £2 10s. 0d. James Forrest £2 10s. 0d.
Historical or Genealogical Significance The same dual listing seen in 1709 reappears in the Christmas quarter 1710 payments. James Guthrie continues to be recorded both as a Pursuivant and as a Macer of the Justiciary Court, each with its own salary. The persistence of the two separate entries over at least two years slightly strengthens the possibility that a single individual held both posts, but the document still does not make the identification certain.
Document Terms and Practices
- Macer of Justiciary: officer of the High Court of Justiciary (the supreme criminal court in Scotland).
- Quarterly Civil List payments continued the post-Union arrangement for Scottish officials.
Citation ‘Warrant Book: January 1711, 1–10’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 25, 1711, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1952), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol25/pp118-130 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Volume 26, 1712: 1 Guthrie Entry
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 26: 1712 Warrant Book: March 1712, 26–31
Date of the Entry 31 March 1712.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- David Gathrey (Guthry), deceased
- His four daughters (heirs-portioners): Margaret, Anne, Jean and Isobell Guthry
Guthrie Role David Guthry had held the lands and barony of Moundyns. His daughters were his heirs-portioners; the eldest had married William Stewart of Inchbrick, who petitioned on their behalf.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- William Stewart of Inchbrick (petitioner; husband of the eldest daughter)
- The Barons of the Exchequer, Scotland
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Treasury reference of a petition seeking relief from feudal casualties (Ward Relief and Non-Entry duties) that had fallen on the small estate of Moundyns after David Guthry’s death.
Modern English Translation Treasury reference to the Barons of the Exchequer, Scotland, of the petition of William Stewart of Inchbrick shewing that in 1686 David Gathrey (Guthry) obtained a novo damus of the lands and barony of Moundyns wherein the Ward and Marriage Duties are taxed, and died in 1698 leaving four daughters Margaret, Anne, Jean and Isobell Guthry as heirs portioners; that they having no friend to take care of their affairs the lands are become obnoxious to Taxtward and Non Entry Duties…; that petitioner married the eldest daughter and finds the estate so small and overburthened…; therefore prays a gift of the Ward Relief and Non Entry Duties in his own name to the joint behoof of the relict and children who otherwise will be put to beggary.
Historical or Genealogical Significance This entry supplies a clear family group in the late seventeenth / early eighteenth century:
- David Gathrey / Guthry obtained a new grant (novo damus) of the lands and barony of Moundyns in 1686 and died in 1698.
- He left four daughters as heirs-portioners: Margaret, Anne, Jean and Isobell.
- The eldest daughter married William Stewart of Inchbrick.
Because the daughters (apparently still young or without proper legal guidance) had not formally entered to the lands, the estate became liable for the feudal casualties of Taxtward and Non-Entry. Stewart petitioned for a gift of those duties to protect the family from financial ruin.
The exact location of the barony of Moundyns has not been identified with certainty; it appears to have been a small holding, possibly in Angus or a neighbouring county.
Document Terms and Practices
- Novo damus: a new grant or re-grant of lands from the Crown.
- Heirs-portioners: co-heiresses who inherit equally when there is no male heir.
- Ward and Marriage / Taxtward / Non-Entry: feudal casualties (payments due to the superior) that arose when an heir was a minor or had not formally entered to the lands.
- Gift of the casualties: a request that the Crown remit or grant the outstanding feudal duties to the family.
Citation ‘Warrant Book: March 1712, 26–31’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 26, 1712, ed. William A. Shaw (London, 1954), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol26/pp208-222 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Volume 27, 1713: 3 Guthrie Entries
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27: 1713 Warrant Books: April 1713, 1–15
Date of the Entry 13 April 1713.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- James Guthrie
Guthrie Role Formerly Pursuivant and Macer of Justiciary in Scotland; both offices have now disappeared from the Civil List.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Treasurer Oxford
- The Barons of the Exchequer (Scotland)
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Comparison of the Lady Day 1713 Civil List of Scotland with the previous list, noting changes in personnel.
Modern English Translation Allowance by Treasurer Oxford of the Civil List of Scotland for 1713 Lady Day quarter… As compared with the preceding Civil List of Jan. 8 last… this list shows the following changes viz.: the following names have disappeared, viz. James Guthrie in the list of Pursuivants and in the list of Macers of Justiciary…
Historical or Genealogical Significance By the Lady Day quarter of 1713 James Guthrie was no longer being paid either as a Pursuivant or as a Macer of Justiciary. The fact that both roles disappear from the establishment at the same time strongly indicates that one man had held the two offices rather than two different individuals of the same name. His removal (by death, resignation, or replacement) therefore ends the series of payments recorded for him from 1709 onward.
Document Terms and Practices
- Civil List of Scotland: the post-Union schedule of salaries for Scottish civil officers.
- Simultaneous disappearance of both titles from the list is the strongest evidence that the earlier dual listings referred to a single James Guthrie.
Citation ‘Warrant Books: April 1713, 1–15’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27, 1713, ed. William A. Shaw & F. H. Slingsby (London, 1955), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol27/pp169-184 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27: 1713 Warrant Books: May 1713, 16–31
Date of the Entry 23 May 1713.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- David Guthire (Guthrie) of Castletown, deceased
- His daughters (unnamed in this entry, but previously identified as Margaret, Anne, Jean and Isobell)
Guthrie Role David Guthrie of Castletown had held the barony of Mondyrrs (Mondyns). His daughters, together with William Stewart of Inchbreck (husband of the eldest), are seeking discharge of the Non-Entry duties.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- William Stewart of Inchbreck (petitioner)
- The Barons of the Exchequer of Scotland
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Treasury reference of a petition praying for discharge of the Non-Entry duties on the barony of Mondyrrs.
Modern English Translation Treasury reference to the Barons of the Exchequer of Scotland of the petition of William Stewart of Inchbreck in behalf of himself and the daughters of David Guthire of Castletown praying discharge of the Non Entry Duties of the Barony of Mondyrrs, &c.
Historical or Genealogical Significance This is a continuation of the 1712 petition concerning the estate of David Guthrie of Castletown. The family (his daughters and the husband of the eldest) are still seeking relief from the feudal Non-Entry duties that had fallen on the barony of Mondyrrs (earlier spelled Moundyns / Mondyns). The repeated petitions show that the small estate remained burdened and that the heirs were actively trying to clear the casualties.
Document Terms and Practices
- Non-Entry Duties: feudal casualty due when an heir has not formally entered to the lands.
- Discharge: a request that the outstanding duty be remitted or cancelled.
Citation ‘Warrant Books: May 1713, 16–31’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27, 1713, ed. William A. Shaw & F. H. Singsby (London, 1955), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol27/pp217-229 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27: 1713 Warrant Books: October 1713, 16–31
Date of the Entry 20 October 1713.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- David Guthrie of Castletown, deceased
- His four daughters (the wife of William Stewart of Inchbreck and her three sisters)
Guthrie Role David Guthrie of Castletown had held the lands and barony of Mondyns. The feudal casualties that fell on the estate after his death are now being granted to the family.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- William Stewart of Inchbreck (grantee, on behalf of his wife and her sisters)
- Treasurer Oxford
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Entry of Treasurer Oxford’s signature on a signature (grant) of the Taxtward, Non-Entry, Relief and Marriage duties of the lands and barony of Mondyns to William Stewart of Inchbreck for the benefit of his wife and her three sisters.
Modern English Translation Entry of Treasurer Oxford’s signature of the docquet of a signature in favour of William Stewart of Inchbreck in the behoof of his wife and her three sisters of the Taxtward and Non Entry, Relief and Marriage Duties of the lands and barony of Mondyns within the sheriffdom of Kincardine which pertained to the deceased David Guthrie and have fallen into the Queen’s hands through the said Stewart and his wife and her sisters not entering heirs to the said David their father and his eldest daughter not being married at the time of his death.
Historical or Genealogical Significance This completes the series of entries concerning David Guthrie of Castletown and his four daughters. Key points now confirmed:
- David Guthrie of Castletown held the lands and barony of Mondyns in the sheriffdom of Kincardine.
- He died leaving four daughters as heirs-portioners.
- The eldest was unmarried at the time of his death (hence the Marriage duty also fell).
- William Stewart of Inchbreck married the eldest daughter and, over several years (1712–1713), successfully petitioned for and obtained a grant of the outstanding feudal casualties (Taxtward, Non-Entry, Relief and Marriage) for the benefit of the whole family.
The location is now securely placed in Kincardineshire.
Document Terms and Practices
- Signature: the formal Crown grant of the feudal casualties.
- Behoof of his wife and her three sisters: the grant is made for the joint benefit of all four daughters.
- Sheriffdom of Kincardine: the county in which the barony of Mondyns lay.
Citation ‘Warrant Books: October 1713, 16–31’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27, 1713, ed. William A. Shaw & F. H. Slingsby (London, 1955), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol27/pp388-414 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Volume 28, 1714: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 29, 1714-1715: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 30, 1716: No Guthrie Entries
Volume 31, 1717: 2 Guthrie Entries
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 31: 1717 Treasury Warrants: March 1717, 16–25
Date of the Entry The transportation list itself is dated 21 April 1716 (Liverpool); the Treasury warrant recording it appears in March 1717.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- Robert Guttry (Robt. Guttry)
Guthrie Role Rebel (Jacobite) prisoners transported to South Carolina.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Capt. Thomas Beck, commander of the ship Wakefield
- The 81 rebel prisoners shipped from Liverpool
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Record of the shipment of 81 Jacobite rebel prisoners from Liverpool to South Carolina on the ship Wakefield.
Modern English Translation 21 April 1716: Liverpool. List of 81 Rebel prisoners shipped on board the “Wakefield”, Capt. Thomas Beck Commander, for South Carolina: … Robt. Guttry …
Historical or Genealogical Significance Robert Guttry was among the Jacobite prisoners taken after the 1715 Rising and sentenced to transportation to the American colonies. He was shipped from Liverpool on 21 April 1716 aboard the Wakefield, bound for South Carolina.
Another Guthrie, John Guttry, was transported to South Carolina the following month aboard the Susannah.
This is a significant colonial Guthrie reference: two men bearing the name (or a close variant) were forcibly transported to South Carolina as political prisoners in the aftermath of the Fifteen. Many such transportees remained in the colonies and left descendants.
Document Terms and Practices
- Rebel prisoners: Jacobites captured during or after the 1715 Rising.
- Transportation: the sentence of banishment to the American colonies, commonly used for Jacobite prisoners.
- Ship Wakefield, Capt. Thomas Beck: one of several vessels that carried Jacobite transportees in 1716–1717.
Citation ‘Treasury Warrants: March 1717, 16–25’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 31, 1717, ed. William A. Shaw & F. H. Slingsby (London, 1960), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol31/pp192-210 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 31: 1717 Treasury Warrants: March 1717, 16–25
Date of the Entry The transportation list is dated 7 May 1716 (Liverpool); recorded in the March 1717 Treasury warrants.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- John Guttry
Guthrie Role Rebel (Jacobite) prisoner transported to South Carolina.
Other Primary Parties Identified
- Capt. Thomas Bromhall, commander of the ship Susannah
- The 104 rebel prisoners shipped from Liverpool
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Record of the shipment of 104 Jacobite rebel prisoners from Liverpool to South Carolina on the ship Susannah.
Modern English Translation 7 May 1716: Liverpool. List of 104 Rebel prisoners shipped on board the “Susannah”, Capt. Thomas Bromhall Commander, in order to be transported to South Carolina: … John Guttry …
Historical or Genealogical Significance John Guttry was one of the Jacobite prisoners taken after the 1715 Rising and sentenced to transportation. He was shipped from Liverpool on 7 May 1716 aboard the Susannah, bound for South Carolina.
Together with Robert Guttry (who sailed two weeks earlier on the Wakefield), this provides two clear instances of men named Guttry being transported to South Carolina as political prisoners in the aftermath of the Fifteen. Many such transportees remained in the colonies and founded American lines.
Document Terms and Practices
- Rebel prisoners: Jacobites captured during or after the 1715 Rising.
- Transportation: banishment to the American colonies.
- Ship Susannah, Capt. Thomas Bromhall: one of the vessels carrying Jacobite transportees in 1716.
Citation ‘Treasury Warrants: March 1717, 16–25’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 31, 1717, ed. William A. Shaw & F. H. Singsby (London, 1960), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol31/pp192-210 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Volume 32, 1718: 1 Guthrie Entry
Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 32: 1718 Treasury Warrants: February 1718, 11–20
Date of the Entry 13 February 1718.
Guthrie(s) Identified
- James Guthrie
Guthrie Role Watchman of the Salt Duty at Kirkcaldy (Fife).
Other Primary Parties Identified
- James Cranston (the previous watchman, dismissed)
- The Salt Commissioners in Scotland
Original Document Language English.
Purpose Treasury warrant appointing James Guthrie as watchman of the Salt Duty at Kirkcaldy in place of James Cranston, who had been dismissed.
Modern English Translation James Guthrie as watchman of the Salt Duty at Kirkcaldy at £15 per an. loco James Cranston, dismissed.
Historical or Genealogical Significance James Guthrie was appointed in February 1718 as a watchman in the Salt Duty service at Kirkcaldy, Fife, at a salary of £15 per annum. He replaced James Cranston, who had been dismissed. This places a Guthrie in the Scottish customs / salt-tax administration in the early eighteenth century.
Document Terms and Practices
- Watchman of the Salt Duty: a minor officer employed to prevent the evasion of the salt tax and to guard salt works or stores.
- Loco: “in the place of” (replacing the previous holder of the post).
- Salt Duty: one of the inland taxes administered in Scotland after the Union.
Citation ‘Treasury Warrants: February 1718, 11–20’, in Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 32, 1718, ed. William A. Shaw & F. H. Slingsby (London, 1962), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-treasury-books/vol32/pp195-204 [accessed 30 July 2026].
Guthrie Research Sketches
for the
Calendar of Treasury Books
John Guttry, Mate on a Newcastle Coalwaiters’ Boat
Customs employee at Newcastle upon Tyne, documented in 1679
Key Evidence
On 15 October 1679, the Treasury directed the Customs Commissioners to lay aside one of the coalwaiters’ boats stationed at Newcastle. The annual salary of £30 previously allowed jointly to John Clark, the boatman, and John Guttry, his mate, was reassigned to three newly appointed tidesmen: Robert Hedworth, Edward Clark, and John Hunter.
The warrant places Guttry—also indexed as Guthry—within the Customs establishment serving the coal trade at Newcastle. As mate, he was the subordinate officer on a boat used to supervise shipping and protect the collection of customs duties. The record does not state how the £30 salary was divided between Clark and Guttry.
Cross-Source Evidence
No other entry currently identified in the Special Collections can be confidently assigned to this John Guttry. A published transcript of the parish registers of Skelton in Cumberland records the baptism of Jonathan, son of a John Guttry, during the late seventeenth century. The uncommon spelling and northern English setting make this a worthwhile research lead, but the parish entry provides no occupation or Newcastle connection by which the two men can be identified as the same person.
The John Guttry transported to South Carolina aboard the Susannah in 1716 should also remain separate. Thirty-seven years divide the records, and no evidence presently connects the transported Jacobite prisoner with the Newcastle Customs employee.
Genealogical Significance
Although the Treasury warrant contains no family relationships, it provides a firm occupational and geographic reference point. Newcastle parish registers, Customs salary records, port records, and freemen or apprenticeship registers may reveal additional information about Guttry’s origins and family.
Assessment
John Guttry is securely documented as mate of a Newcastle coalwaiters’ boat in 1679. The warrant records the discontinuation of the boat and reassignment of its salary, but it does not establish that Guttry died, left Newcastle, or permanently left Customs employment. His identity beyond this single occupational reference remains unresolved.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 6
“Entry Book: October 1679, 11–20,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 6
Registers of the Parish Church of Skelton, Cumberland, 1580–1812
Patrick Guthry, Naval Chaplain of HMS Guernsey
Clergyman with unpaid naval wages in 1680;
probably the absentee vicar of Ormesby, Norfolk
Key Evidence
On 20 April 1680, Patrick Guthry appeared in a Treasury list of ministers and surgeons of the King’s frigates whose pay remained in arrears. Recorded as “Patr. Guthry,” chaplain of the Guernsey, he was owed £18 6s. 8d.
The entry confirms Guthry’s service as an English naval chaplain but does not disclose when he joined the vessel, how long he served, or why his wages remained unpaid. The Guernsey was an older fifth-rate warship built in 1654 as the Basing and renamed after the Restoration in 1660.
Cross-Source Evidence
The Clergy of the Church of England Database records a Patrick Guthry, MA, ordained deacon at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster, on 24 September 1670. On 26 April 1671, Patricius Guthrie was instituted as vicar of Ormesby St Margaret with Scratby in Norfolk.
A December 1683 record states that the Ormesby benefice was sequestrated because Mr Guthry had not been in the parish for the preceding ten or twelve years. His absence therefore began approximately between 1671 and 1673. Patrick Guthry’s documented service aboard the Guernsey in 1680 falls directly within that period.
The uncommon name, clerical profession, and compatible chronology make it strongly probable that the naval chaplain and absentee vicar were the same man. The Treasury and diocesan records do not, however, explicitly connect the two offices.
Another Patrick Guthrie, MA, became curate of Lammas with Little Hautbois in 1706 and vicar of East and West Rudham in 1707. The clergy database notes that this later minister might be either the earlier Ormesby clergyman or an Angus-born Patrick Guthrie ordained in 1697–1698. His identity therefore remains unresolved.
Genealogical Significance
The combined evidence supplies a probable career outline: ordination at Westminster in 1670, appointment to a Norfolk parish in 1671, prolonged absence from that benefice, and naval service by 1680. Naval pay and chaplaincy records may clarify whether service aboard the Guernsey explains the full period of absence and may identify Guthry’s place of education or origin.
Assessment
Patrick Guthry is securely documented as chaplain of the Guernsey in 1680. Identification with the Patrick Guthrie appointed vicar of Ormesby in 1671 is highly plausible and provides a persuasive explanation for his prolonged absence, but should remain classified as probable rather than proven. The later Rudham vicarage cannot yet be confidently added to the same career.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 6
“Entry Book: April 1680, 14–20,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 6
Clergy of the Church of England Database: Patrick Guthry, Ordination, 1670
Clergy of the Church of England Database: Patrick Guthrie, Ormesby Appointment, 1671
Clergy of the Church of England Database: Ormesby Vacancy, 1683
Royal Museums Greenwich: Portrait of the Guernsey
Rev. David Guthrie of Kair and Castletown and His Heirs-Portioners
Minister of Glenmuick and holder of the barony of Mondyns;
died 1697/98
Key Evidence
A Treasury reference dated 31 March 1712 reports that David Guthrie—written “Gathrey”—received a novo damus, or renewed Crown grant, of the lands and barony of Mondyns in 1686. It identifies his four daughters as heirs-portioners:
- Margaret Guthrie
- Anne Guthrie
- Jean Guthrie
- Isobell Guthrie
Margaret, the eldest daughter, married William Stewart of Inchbreck. Because the daughters had not formally entered as heirs, the small and already burdened estate became liable for Taxtward, Non-Entry, Relief, and Marriage duties. Stewart petitioned for these feudal casualties to be granted to him for the benefit of David’s widow and children.
The matter remained unresolved in May 1713. On 20 October 1713, Treasurer Oxford approved a grant of the outstanding casualties to Stewart for the benefit of his wife and her three sisters. This final entry securely places Mondyns within the sheriffdom of Kincardine.
Cross-Source Evidence
David can be confidently identified with the family documented in the Guthrie of Halkerton account. Born in 1658, he was the son of Henry or Harie Guthrie of Halkerton and Castletown and Margaret Sibbald, heiress of Kair.
Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae identifies him as David Guthrie of Kair. He attended Edinburgh University, was admitted as minister of Glenmuick on 11 December 1687, and preached to the garrison at Abergeldie Castle on 3 November 1689. He married Margaret Arbuthnott, daughter of Alexander Arbuthnott of Pitcarles.
Old Parish Register evidence and the family history establish that David and Margaret had six known children—four daughters and two sons:
- Margaret Guthrie, baptized 22 March 1684; married William Stewart of Inchbreck.
- Alexander Guthrie, born 8 April and baptized at Arbuthnott on 10 April 1685; died in 1697.
- Anne Guthrie, baptized 12 September 1686.
- Harie Guthrie, also rendered Henry or Harry; served heir to his father on 30 June 1698.
- Isobel Guthrie.
- Jean Guthrie.
Harie, Henry, and Harry are forms of the same name; they do not represent separate sons. The earlier interpretation that David had three sons resulted from counting these variants as different individuals.
The service of heir shows that the daughters did not immediately succeed to their father’s estate. Harie survived David and became his heir in 1698. Because the Treasury records identify the four daughters as heirs-portioners by 1712, Harie must subsequently have died without surviving issue. David’s male line therefore failed through the deaths of Alexander and Harie, leaving the inheritance to their four sisters.
Genealogical Significance
The Treasury evidence documents the final passage of David’s landed inheritance through his daughters after the failure of his two sons. Margaret’s marriage carried her portion—and her representation of the Kair and Halkerton inheritance—into the Stewart family of Inchbreck.
The records also add Mondyns to David’s known territorial associations and establish its location in Kincardineshire. The succession sequence is now clearer: David died, Harie was served heir in 1698, and the four daughters became heirs-portioners only after Harie’s death without issue.
Assessment
The Treasury’s David Guthrie of Castletown is conclusively the Rev. David Guthrie of Kair, minister of Glenmuick. The Castletown designation, the four named daughters, Margaret’s marriage to William Stewart of Inchbreck, and the documented succession of Harie provide a consistent identification.
There remains a minor discrepancy concerning David’s death. The Treasury petition gives 1698, while the Fasti records the precise date of 15 November 1697. Harie’s service as heir on 30 June 1698 supports the earlier death date; the Treasury may have associated David’s death with the year in which his succession was legally processed.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 26
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 27
“Warrant Book: March 1712, 26–31,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 26
“Warrant Books: May 1713, 16–31,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27
“Warrant Books: October 1713, 16–31,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27
Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, Volume VI: Glenmuick
Old Parish Registers of Arbuthnott: baptismal entries for the children of David Guthrie and Margaret Arbuthnott.
Mary Guthery, Widow of a Londonderry Garrison Officer
Recipient of royal bounty for her husband’s service during the Siege of Londonderry
Key Evidence
On 30 May 1693, the Treasury directed that a royal warrant be prepared for supplementary payments to officers and widows of officers who had served in the Londonderry garrison but were omitted from the general list attached to an earlier warrant of 21 March 1692/3. “Mary Guthery, widow” was allotted £10.
The formal warrant followed on 9 June 1693. Under the Queen’s sign manual, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was ordered to distribute £2,423 6s. 8d. among the named officers and widows. Mary’s £10 was payable “without account,” meaning that it was a free royal bounty requiring no accounting by the recipient.
These entries document one award at two administrative stages—not two separate payments.
Cross-Source Evidence
No earlier Special Collections entry can presently be assigned to Mary or her husband. The normal naming convention makes it probable that Guthery was her married surname and that her deceased husband was a Guthery or Guthrie, but the Treasury record does not explicitly name him, give his rank, or identify his regiment.
A list of officers serving in Colonel John Mitchelburne’s regiment was presented to the House of Commons in June 1698. No identifiable Guthery or Guthrie appears in that published list. This does not rule out Mary’s husband: the bounty covered the wider Londonderry garrison, and surviving officer lists are neither complete nor consistent in spelling.
Mary should also remain separate from Ann Guthry or Anne Gothrey, the widow who received £5 from Henry Guy’s discretionary funds in May 1693. Ann’s payment contains no Londonderry or military association, and the shared surname, widowhood, and year are insufficient to connect the women.
Genealogical Significance
Mary’s award establishes a Guthery widow directly connected with the Williamite garrison that defended Londonderry in 1689. Her husband was dead by May 1693, but the record does not show whether he died during the siege, from its aftermath, or from an unrelated cause.
The omitted claims attached to the 1692/3 and 1693 warrants may be the best route to identifying him. Military pay records, petitions, Irish probate material, and surviving Londonderry church records could also reveal Mary’s residence, children, or maiden surname.
Assessment
Mary Guthery is securely documented as the widow of an unnamed Londonderry garrison officer and the recipient of a £10 royal bounty in 1693. Her husband’s service during the siege is established by the purpose of the warrant, but his identity, rank, regiment, and fate remain unknown. The evidence does not prove that Mary herself was present inside Londonderry during the siege.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 10
“Entry Book: May 1693, 21–31,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 10
“Entry Book: June 1693, 1–10,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 10
“House of Commons Journal, 8 June 1698”—Officers of Colonel Mitchelburne’s Regiment
Ann Guthry, Widow
and Royal-Bounty RecipientReceived £5 from Henry Guy’s discretionary Treasury funds in 1693
Key Evidence
On 26 May 1693, “Anne Gothrey, widow,” received £5 as royal bounty from funds administered by Treasury official Henry Guy. The payment was made “clear of fees,” meaning that she received the full amount without administrative deductions.
A later allocation within the same quarterly account records £5 paid to “Ann Guthry, widow.” The identical name, status, amount, and accounting period establish that these references concern the same woman and the same award—not two different widows or separate payments.
Although published in Volume 17 of the Calendar of Treasury Books, covering 1702, the entries belong to Henry Guy’s secret-service account for the quarter from 25 March to 24 June 1693.
Cross-Source Evidence
No other Special Collections entry can presently be identified with Ann Guthry. The Treasury account gives no residence, family relationships, or explanation for the bounty.
She should remain separate from Mary Guthery, the widow associated with the Londonderry garrison. Mary received a different award of £10 under a military bounty warrant in the same month. Shared widowhood, surname, and timing do not establish a connection between the two women.
The description of Ann as “widow” makes Guthry or Gothrey probably her married surname, but her deceased husband is not named. The record supplies no evidence that he served in the military or held Crown office.
Assessment
Ann Guthry—also recorded as Anne Gothrey—is securely documented as the recipient of a £5 royal bounty in May 1693. Beyond her widowhood, her identity and circumstances remain unknown. The designation “secret-service payment” reflects the Treasury account from which the money was issued and should not be interpreted as evidence that Ann herself performed secret or political work.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 17
“Secret Service Payments: Henry Guy,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 17
James Guthrie, Dingwall Pursuivant
and Probable Macer of JusticiaryEdinburgh officer of arms who probably held a second post in Scotland’s highest criminal court
Key Evidence
On 20 July 1709, James Guthrie appeared twice in a certificate of salaries due under Scotland’s Civil Establishment. He was listed among the Scottish pursuivants and separately among the macers of the Justice Court.
For the period from 1 May 1708 through 24 June 1709, the allowances certified in his name were:
- As pursuivant: £19 3s. 11¾d.
- As macer: £11 10s. 1d.
The dual listing recurred in the Civil List payment for the quarter ending 25 December 1710. James received £4 3s. 4d. as a pursuivant and £2 10s. as a Macer of Justiciary.
A pursuivant was a junior officer of arms within Scotland’s heraldic establishment. A macer served the court by maintaining order, carrying official insignia, delivering summonses, and performing ceremonial and administrative duties.
One Man or Two?
Because the two offices appear under separate headings, either list considered alone might represent two men named James Guthrie. The later Treasury evidence strongly favors one dual officeholder.
On 13 April 1713, the Treasury compared the Lady Day Civil List with the preceding establishment and noted that “James Guthrie” had disappeared from both the list of pursuivants and the list of Macers of Justiciary. The simultaneous removal of the same name from both offices is unlikely to be coincidental.
This change followed the death of James Guthry, pursuivant, on 11 October 1712. The agreement between his death and the disappearance of both salary lines provides persuasive evidence that Dingwall Pursuivant also served as a Macer of Justiciary.
Cross-Source Evidence
The fuller Edinburgh profile identifies James as Dingwall Pursuivant, an office he held from approximately 1682 until his death. Greyfriars burial records describe him as a pursuivant and give his age as seventy, placing his birth about 1642.
He was very probably the James Guthree baptized in Edinburgh on 9 January 1642, son of:
- Alexander Guthree, tailor
- Jeane Gilchrist
The baptismal date agrees closely with the age recorded at James’s death, while the Edinburgh location fits his later residence and career. Because the baptism does not identify his later office, the parentage remains a strong probability rather than a conclusive identification.
James married twice:
- Margaret Anderson, who died of fever on 24 April 1702, aged fifty-seven.
- Margaret Ogilvie, daughter of the deceased Sir David Ogilvie of Clova, whom he married on 25 October 1702.
Margaret Anderson’s death record and James’s remarriage six months later confirm that these were successive marriages of the same man.
Genealogical Significance
The Treasury accounts add a previously uncertain part of James’s career. He was not merely a heraldic officer receiving a single Civil List salary; he was probably also employed by the High Court of Justiciary.
They also help explain the 1713 administrative change. His disappearance from both offices was not an unexplained dismissal or resignation but almost certainly the consequence of his death in October 1712.
Assessment
James Guthrie is securely identified as Dingwall Pursuivant and an Edinburgh resident who died on 11 October 1712. His identification as the son of Alexander Guthree and Jeane Gilchrist is highly probable based on name, location, and exact chronological agreement.
No individual Treasury entry explicitly states that Dingwall Pursuivant and the Macer of Justiciary were the same man. However, the repeated dual listings, the simultaneous disappearance of both offices, and James’s documented death immediately beforehand together provide strong evidence for one dual officeholder.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 23
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 25
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 27
“Warrant Books: July 1709, 16–20,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 23
“Warrant Book: January 1711, 1–10,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 25
“Warrant Books: April 1713, 1–15,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27
Burgh of Edinburgh, Pt. 2: Guthrie Research Sketches
Old Parish Registers of Edinburgh — baptism of James Guthree, 9 January 1642; marriages and burial evidence.
Greyfriars burial records — death of James Guthry, pursuivant, 11 October 1712.
William Guthrie, Chaplain
Bound for JamaicaClergyman appointed to colonial service and granted passage money in 1709
Key Evidence
On 20 December 1709, the Treasury authorized a payment of £20 to “William Guthrie, clerk,” for the expenses of his passage to Jamaica, “whither he is going chaplain.”
In this context, clerk identifies Guthrie as a clergyman rather than an administrative employee. The payment was intended to assist with his outward voyage and shows that he was preparing to enter colonial ministry. The warrant does not identify the ship on which he intended to sail, the Jamaican parish or institution he was to serve, or the expected length of his appointment.
Cross-Source Evidence
The Clergy of the Church of England Database contains a closely corresponding record for “Gulielmus Guthrie,” the Latin form of William Guthrie. On 19 December 1709—one day before the Treasury warrant—he was recorded as appointed or admitted as a minister for the island of Jamaica.
The agreement in name, destination, occupation, and date conclusively identifies the clergyman in the two records as the same man. Together, they show the administrative sequence: Guthrie completed the required ministerial formalities and then received Treasury assistance for his passage.
A possible educational record remains unproven. The University of Edinburgh’s published catalogue lists a Gulielmus Guthrie among those awarded the degree of Master of Arts on 28 July 1698. Graduation eleven years before the Jamaican appointment would be compatible with a later clerical career. However, the university entry supplies no parentage, residence, or subsequent occupation by which the graduate can be conclusively identified as the colonial chaplain.
No existing Special Collections sketch can presently be confidently assigned to this William Guthrie.
Genealogical Significance
The combined records establish William’s intended migration to the Caribbean and place him within the early Anglican ministry of Jamaica. They do not prove that he completed the voyage or actually served on the island.
Confirmation may be found in Jamaican vestry minutes, parish registers, wills, inventories, or correspondence concerning colonial clergy. Such records might identify his assigned parish, family, Scottish or English origins, and eventual fate. The underlying ministerial subscription at the Guildhall Library may also contain information omitted from the database entry.
Assessment
William Guthrie was securely appointed or admitted as a minister for Jamaica in December 1709 and received £20 toward his passage. His arrival and subsequent colonial service remain unconfirmed.
The William Guthrie who graduated MA from Edinburgh in 1698 is a plausible candidate, but the shared name and compatible chronology are not sufficient to merge the identities. That connection should remain a research lead pending evidence linking the graduate with London or Jamaica.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 23
“Warrant Books: December 1709, 11–20,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 23
Clergy of the Church of England Database: William Guthrie, Minister for Jamaica, 1709
Robert and John Guttry, Jacobite Prisoners Transported to South Carolina
Two probable Angus men captured after the 1715 Rising
and shipped from Liverpool in 1716
Key Evidence
Robert and John Guttry appear in separate lists of Jacobite prisoners sentenced to transportation after the failure of the 1715 Rising.
Robert Guttry was one of eighty-one prisoners placed aboard the Wakefield, commanded by Captain Thomas Beck, at Liverpool on 21 April 1716.
John Guttry was one of 104 prisoners placed aboard the Susannah, commanded by Captain Thomas Bromhall, at Liverpool on 7 May 1716.
The lists were later incorporated into Treasury warrants issued in March 1717. Both men were described as “Rebel Prisoners” being shipped for transportation to South Carolina. The records establish their embarkation and intended destination, but do not by themselves prove that either man survived the voyage or landed in the colony.
Cross-Source Evidence
A comparison of the transportation lists with surviving prisoner rolls supplies probable Scottish origins:
- Robert Guthrie, a laborer from a place transcribed as Founady, Angus, was prisoner no. 9 at Preston.
- John Guthrie, a shoemaker from Glamis, Angus, was prisoner no. 62 at Preston.
These details indicate that both men were among the Jacobites imprisoned after the surrender at Preston in November 1715. “Founady” has not been securely identified and should be checked against the original record.
The broader prisoner roll also contains another man named Robert Guthrie. Because only one Robert Guttry appears aboard the Wakefield, the proposed match with prisoner no. 9 should be considered probable rather than conclusive.
Robert and John shared a surname, county of origin, place of imprisonment, destination, and political circumstances. These similarities make a combined comparative sketch useful, but they do not prove that the men were brothers or otherwise related.
Genealogical Significance
The transportation records place two possible founders of later Guthrie families on the route to South Carolina. Several genetically unrelated Guthrie families, however, were present in the Carolinas by the late eighteenth century.
Three family groups require particular consideration:
- GFG2A–Branch K: Robert Guttery, born about 1750–1752, had unidentified parents and possible South Carolina origins. He was documented in Wilkes County, Georgia, by 1778 and later lived in Elbert County. Either transported prisoner could belong to an earlier generation of this family, but no documentary bridge has been found.
- GFG13–Branch B: Robert Guthrie, born in North Carolina in 1773, married Jane Norwood and lived in Abbeville District, South Carolina, for approximately a decade before settling in Giles County, Tennessee. His parents remain unidentified, making descent from one of the transported men—or another early Carolina Guthrie—a legitimate research possibility.
- GFG9–Branch A: John Guthrie, born about 1764 in Scotland, was the son of Thomas Guthrie and Jean Duncan. The family followed a documented migration path, arriving at Savannah in 1774 aboard the Marlborough as indentured servants before settling in Abbeville. GFG9 therefore represents a separate, later immigration rather than an unidentified colonial line descending in South Carolina from the 1716 prisoners.
The Abbeville families require particular caution. Robert Guthrie of GFG13 married Jane Norwood, while John Guthrie of GFG9 is traditionally said to have married Jean Norwood. It remains uncertain whether two different Norwood women married men from the two Guthrie families or whether records concerning one woman have been divided incorrectly between them. The Norwood association must not be used to combine the genetically distinct GFG9 and GFG13 families.
Y-DNA confirms that GFG2A, GFG9, and GFG13 represent different paternal lineages. This does not eliminate the transported prisoners as possible ancestors: Robert and John Guttry may themselves have belonged to different genetic families. Each proposed connection nevertheless requires its own documentary evidence.
Assessment
Robert and John Guttry are securely documented as two different Jacobite prisoners placed aboard separate ships for South Carolina in 1716. Correlated prisoner records probably identify both as Angus men captured at Preston: Robert, a laborer from “Founady,” and John, a shoemaker from Glamis.
Neither man can presently be assigned to GFG2A, GFG9, GFG13, or another later Guthrie family. GFG2A–Branch K and GFG13–Branch B are particularly relevant descendant candidates because their earliest identified progenitors had unknown parents and possible or documented Carolina associations. GFG9 is essential for distinguishing overlapping Abbeville records, but its documented arrival from Scotland occurred in 1774.
The immediate research priority is to locate the colonial returns requested in August 1716 identifying the prisoners who actually landed. South Carolina indenture, land, probate, parish, and court records may then reveal whether Robert or John survived, married, or left descendants.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 31
“Treasury Warrants: March 1717, 16–25,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 31
Ship Wakefield: Jacobite Prisoner List, 21 April 1716
Ship Susannah: Jacobite Prisoner List, 7 May 1716
“America and West Indies: August 1716,” Calendar of State Papers Colonial
GFG2A–Branch K: Robert Guttery and Elizabeth
GFG13–Branch B: Robert Guthrie and Jane Norwood
GFG9–Branch A: Thomas Guthrie and Jean Duncan
Mistaken Identities: The Guthrie–Norwood Question
James Guthrie, Salt-Duty Watchman
at KirkcaldyAppointed to the Scottish revenue service in 1718
Key Evidence
On 13 February 1718, the Treasury approved James Guthrie’s appointment as watchman of the Salt Duty at Kirkcaldy, Fife. His salary was fixed at £15 per annum.
He replaced James Cranston, who had been dismissed. The Latin term loco—“in place of”—shows that Guthrie entered an existing salaried position rather than receiving a newly created office.
The warrant formed part of a larger group of staffing changes submitted by the Salt Commissioners in Scotland. It does not state why Guthrie was selected or why Cranston lost the position.
A salt-duty watchman was a junior revenue officer employed to monitor salt and help prevent its removal, concealment, or sale without payment of the required duty. The warrant does not define Guthrie’s precise daily responsibilities or identify the particular works, stores, or port facilities he supervised.
Cross-Source Evidence
No other Special Collections entry can presently be connected confidently with this James Guthrie. The record supplies no age, parentage, wife, residence, or previous occupation.
He must remain separate from James Guthrie, Dingwall Pursuivant and probable Macer of Justiciary, who died in Edinburgh on 11 October 1712—more than five years before the Kirkcaldy appointment.
The shared name alone also provides no basis for connecting the watchman with any landed or clerical Guthrie family.
Genealogical Significance
The appointment places an otherwise unidentified James Guthrie at or near Kirkcaldy in February 1718 and supplies a specific occupation that may distinguish him from contemporary namesakes.
Kirkcaldy and neighboring Fife parish registers, burgh records, tax accounts, and Salt Commission papers may identify his family or trace his later employment. The appointment itself does not prove that he was born in Kirkcaldy or remained there permanently.
Assessment
James Guthrie is securely documented as a salaried watchman in the Scottish salt-revenue service at Kirkcaldy beginning in February 1718. Beyond that appointment, his identity remains unresolved. He should be treated as a separate individual unless further records provide a definite connection to another Guthrie profile.
References
Calendar of Treasury Books: Guthrie Entries, Volume 32
“Treasury Warrants: February 1718, 11–20,” Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 32